Puzzle coin bank



Nov. 23, 1965 H. B. HUNTER 3,218,754

PUZZLE COIN BANK Filed NOV. 26, 1962 A r g 3 0 24 14 H 6 M 2;? INVENTOR.

' FIG.3

United States Patent 3,218,754 PUZZLE CUIN BANK Howard Bruce Hunter, Mesquite, Tex. Filed Nov. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 239,906 9 Claims. (Cl. 462) This invention relates to coin banks and more particularly to coin banks in which a coin is used as a playing piece in placing it in a depository compartment.

An object of this invention is to provide a bank of the type stated which affords amusement by means of a twosided labyrinthian course through which a coin must pass as a sliding playing piece in order to reach and be deposited in a depository compartment, which permits visual appraisal of its contents and which provides for simple and convenient improved means for removal of its contents.

Another object is to provide a coin bank of the type and for the purpose stated which may be very economically produced and assembled, which is readily portable and easily manipulatable and which is uniquely designed to call on and exercise manipulative and analytical skills of the user. Yet another object is to provide a bank of the type stated which has integrally formed clips and grooves which enable assembly of the entire device without any glue, thermal joining or any other fasteners of any kind.

Additional objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a coin bank constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

In the drawings, FIGURES l and 2 are plan views of opposite sides of a coin bank embodying my invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section thereof, taken approximately along the line 3-3, FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 44, FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of guard means;

FIGURE 6 is a typical sectional view of the modified form of guard means shown in FIGURE 5, taken on a line generally corresponding to line 3-3, FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view showing the coin entry aperture, taken approximately along the line 77, FIGURE 1.

The coin bank comprises a shallow box or case 12 having transparent heads or covers 130 and 13b. The box contains a planar diaphragm 14 which is arranged between and parallel with the covers 13a and 13b. Partitions 15 project from both sides of the diaphragm and are in contact with the respective covers, thus defining, in cooperation with the diaphragm and covers, two similar series of substantially enclosed compartments. With the exception of depository compartment 21, which is specifically adapted for use as a depository for bills as well as coins, each compartment connects to at least one other compartment on the opposite side of the diaphragm through transverse apertures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11, thus providing a labyrinthian course beginning at a coin entrance aperture 29 preferably provided along one edge of the box and leading through a terminus aperture 11 to a terminus compartment 16, which is defined by partitions a, 15b, 15c and 15a,

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a guard means 17, cover 13a and the diaphragm. Guard means 17 projects from the diaphragm and encompasses the terminus aperture 11, substantially enclosing the space between aperture 11 and the cover 13a directly above and comprises a channeling means, section 18 of which extends to and is in contact with cover 13a, a shortened partition section 19, and athin resilient flap 20 vertically disposed between partition sections 18 and 19 its lower edge being fixed therebetween and its upper edge being in contact with cover 13a. With the bank held in the inverted position so that cover 13a is now at the bottom, a coin introduced through the terminus aperture into the guard means may be shaken against flap 2t and will force the flaps top portion outwardly away from its original position and thus allow passage of th coin between the cover and the flap into the terminus compartment, the flap then returning to its original position. Coin 22 represents a coin thus deposited. Ends 21a and 21b of partition section 18 comprise vertical restraining abutments which block inward movement of the flap, thus preventing coins inside the terminus compartment from re-entering the guard means.

The covers are retained in plac by integral clip members 23a, 23b and 230 projecting at intervals from opposing peripheral side partitions 24. Each clip member comprises a projecting section 25 and a recessed groove section 26 which receives the generally complementary shaped edge 27 of the cover. The projecting sections 25 of opposing clip members, such as those of clip members 23a with respect to those of clip members 2312, are spaced slightly closer to each other than the overall width of the cover fitted between them, so that force is required in seating or unseating the cover therebetween, as further explained below.

In placing cover 13a on the box one of the edges 27 is engaged in the grooves of one set of adjacent clip members such as in the grooves in cli-p members 23b, and the opposite edge of the cover is brought in contact with the projecting sections 25 of the opposing set of clip members, 23a in the present example. Force applied downwardly and normal to the cover now causes the projecting sections 25 of clip members 23a to be cammed outwardly by the cover edge 27, or the cover to deform slightly, or both, suificiently to permit the cover edge to pass by the projecting sections and be seated in the groove sections 26, after which the clip members and the cover recover from any temporary deformation and resume their original shape. Cover 13b is placed in position in clip members 23c by following the same general procedure. In order for a user to remove any content of the coin bank a coin or similar article may be introduced in the coin entrance aperture 29 and twisted so one edge portion thereof is hearing against the upwardly facing partition edge 24a and another against the cover 13a, so that increased twisting force applied to such coin or similar article will force the edge of the cover to cam the clip members 2311 outwardly sufiiciently for edge 27 to pass by these clip members thereby disengaging this edge of the cover and consequently relieving pressur of the opposing cover edge against clip members 23b and facilitating complet removal of the cover.

Compartment 21 is specifically adapted to receive and accommodate folded bills as well as coins, and is defined by partitions 15d, 15e, 15f, shortened peripheral partition 24b, th diaphragm, cover 13a and a resilient return guard flap 30 whose lower portion is disposed in the longitudinal groove 31 provided in partition 24b and whose upper edge is biased inwardly against the underside of cover 13a, thereby substantially closing the space therebetween. The projecting upper portion of the flap is provided of slightly greater height than the space between the cover and the partition 24b thereby causing the upper flap edg to be inwardly inclined and biasly maintained against the under side of the cover.

It may be seen that a bill or coin may be forced past the top edge of flap 30, which moves inwardly under force applied thereagainst but which, upon passing of the bill or coin into the compartment, returns to its original position, thereby preventing such bills or coins from falling from the compartment. It may also readily be seen that this typ of return guard flap can be substituted for the flap 20 of the present coin return guard 17 previously described herein.

1 may provide peripheral projecting means 32 adapted for placement of instructional indicia 37 and also adapted to permit convenient digital manipulation of the coin bank thereby without obstructing visual analysis of the compartment on either side. In the present instance peripheral projecting means 32 lies in a plane with and is an extension of the diaphragm. It may be readily seen that the peripheral projecting means offers convenient surfaces for advertising or other identifying indicia as well.

I may also provide a slightly modified form of guard means 33 comprising a tubular section projecting from the diaphragm and circumscribing hole 11, as seen in FIGURES and 6. Minimum clearance space is provided between the top edge 34 and the cover 13:: to permit a coin to pass therebetween, as shown in FIGURE 6.

I may provide a slightly modified form of cover having a superimposed opaque area 35 provided to obstruct the users view of the compartments and partitions underneath, as shown in FIGURE 2. In the present instance the opaque area 35 conceals from view the portion of compartment 36 which leads to the terminus compartment, and furthermore conceals the partitions m, 15n and 150 and thus prevents the user from visually identifying these as obstruction to direct entrance into the terminus compartment. The interest in and difiiculty of the solution is thereby considerably enhanced. It is understood that covers having a plurality of such opaque areas may be provided without departing from my invention.

In using the coin bank, coins or bills may be simply introduced into the depository compartment 21 as previously described herein. However, to place coins in the terminus compartment 16 a coin small enough to freely pass through the coin entrance aperture and the inter-connecting compartments and openings, for example a dime, is introduced through the coin entrance aperture into the compartment encompassing the apertures 1, 2, and 3. Th coin bank is then tilted and manipulated so the coin will slide to and through one of these apertures. Upon falling through the aperture the coin rests on the inner surface of cover 13b. By tilting or shaking the bank slightly the coin is brought out of alignment with the aperture through which it has just fallen, preventing it from falling back through same, and the bank i inverted. The coin now lies on the diaphragm and is in a like manner manipulated to and through another aperture, and the process is continued until th coin is finally deposited in the terminus compartment 16. It will be seen that one successful sequence in depositing a coin in the terminus aperture is found by manipulating the coin sequentially through the aperture 1, 5, 4, 6, 8, 10, 9 and 11. It will be noted that in the present instance the various compartments which form parts of the labyrinthian course are of various and non-corresponding configurations and are generally labyrinthian shaped themselves.

The foregoing description of th invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in size, shape and in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin bank comprising a box having transparent covers, a diaphragm arranged parallel with said covers and dividing the box into separate compartments and provided on both sides thereof with projecting partitions defining further separate compartments on both sides, said compartments comprising a path for a coin sliding on its flat surfaces, apertures extending through said diaphragm and connecting compartments on one side with those of the other, the said compartment and said apertures together comprising a two-sided labyrinthian course, one of said compartments comprising a terminus compartment for the storage of coins, said terminus compartment being provided at its connecting aperture with guard means for permitting additional coin to enter said terminus compartment while preventing the return of any of the stored coins back through said connecting aperture.

2. The device of claim 1 in which a portion of said guard means continuously extends to and is in contact with the cover enclosing said terminus compartment, another portion of said guard means being of reduced height and being provided with a resilient flap whose lower horizontal edge is fixed therewith, and whose upper horizontal edge is in contact with said cover, said flap adapted to flexibly hinge about its fixed edge from the force of a coin manipulated from the connecting aperture against its upper horizontal edge to permit passage of said coin into said terminus compartment, the resiliency of said flap then causing it to return to its original position.

3. Th device of claim 2 wherein edges of said guard means comprise vertical abutments restraining the vertical edges of said flap from any inward motion relative to the said connecting aperture, thus preventing a stored coin from re-entering the said connecting aperture.

4. The device of claim 1, in which some of said partitions are peripheral and are provided with clip means adapted to releasably engage the edges of said covers, so as to retain the covers in assembled position during operation and handling of the device.

5. The device of claim 4 in which said clip means are integral extensions of the said peripheral partitions and are disposed to bend outwardly from sutficient upward or downward pressure by said covers to effect placement and removal of said covers, thus facilitating repeated manual placement and removal of the covers, as set forth.

6. The device of claim 4 in which a second storage compartment is provided which is not connected by any of said apertures to any of the other said compartments, said second storage compartment being provided with an exterior aperture for the introduction of folded bills or coins.

7. The device of claim 6 in which said exterior aperture is defined by an upper edge of one of said peripheral partitions and the corresponding peripheral edge of the enclosing cover, said exterior aperture further being provided with guard means which permits deposit of additional coins or bills into said second storage compartment while preventing accidental loss of coins or bills already thus stored.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said guard means of said second storage compartment comprises a resilient flap whose lower edge is retained in a longitudinal groove provided in the upper edge of said peripheral partition, and whose upper edge is biased inwardly by the said enclosing cover.

5 9. The device of claim 1 in which at least one of said covers is provided with at least one superimposed opaque area, thereby enhancing the interest in and the difficulty of the solution.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 480,983 8/1892 Wolf 273111 Canale 273-109 Fulkerson.

Coventry 46-2 X Haupenthal 273-115 X Boynton 273-153 Culwell 273153 Laufer 462 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COIN BANK COMPRISING A BOX HAVING TRANSPARENT COVERS, A DIAPHRAGM ARRANGED PARALLEL WITH SAID COVERS AND DIVIDING THE BOX INTO SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS AND PROVIDED ON BOTH SIDES THEREOF WITH PROJECTING PARTITIONS DEFINING FURTHER SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS ON BOTH SIDES, SAID COMPARTMENTS COMPRISING A PATH FOR A COIN SLIDING ON ITS FLAT SURFACES, APERTURES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID DIAPHRAGM AND CONNECTING COMPARTMENTS ON ONE SIDE WITH THOSE OF THE OTHER, THE SAID COMPARTMENTS AND SAID APERTURES TOGETHER COMPRISING A TWO-SIDED LABYRINTHIAN COURSE, ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS COMPRISING A TERMINUS COMPARTMENT FOR THE STORAGE OF COINS, SAID TERMINUS COMPARTMENT BEING PROVIDED AT ITS CONNECTING APERTURE WITH GUARD MEANS FOR PERMITTING ADDITIONAL COINS TO ENTER SAID TERMINUS COMPARTMENT WHILE PREVENTING THE RETURN OF ANY OF THE STORED COINS BACK THROUGH SAID CONNECTING APERTURE. 